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Olympus
History Olympus was established in 1919 under the name Takachiho Seisakusho (高千穂製作所, Takachiho Works) to initiate the manufacture in Japan of microscopes and other scientific measuring instruments. The following year it developed and marketed its first microscope. At that time, Japan imported all its microscopes (and other instruments), mainly from Germany. The company had the clear ambition to rival, and even surpass, these high precision foreign imports. Olympus has been renowned to this day for its research on medical equipment. The trade name Olympus was applied for the same year and granted in 1921, but it wasn't until 1936 that it launched its first camera, a 4.5×6 folder called Semi Olympus. It had the first Zuiko camera lens, but it was the only part produced by Takachiho, the camera body being made by Proud, another Japanese company. Soon after Takachiho began to make their own Koho shutter and their own camera body for the Semi Olympus II, the first camera entirely made by the company. The Olympus Six followed in 1940 in 6×6 format. It was the first of a line of 6×6 folders that would last until about 1957 with the Olympus Chrome Six series. In 1942, the company name became Takachiho Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K. (高千穂光学工業株式会社, Takachiho Optical Industries Co Ltd); and 1948 saw the launch of the Olympus 35, Japan's first 35mm camera with a lens shutter system. In 1949 the company adopted the name Olympus Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K. (オリンパス光学工業株式会社, Olympus Optical Industries Co Ltd; the official English translation was Olympus Optical Co, Ltd). In the 1950s there was a TLR vogue in Japan, and Olympus followed the trend from 1952 to 1956 with the 6×6 Olympus Flex. In 1959, after the Rolleiflex Baby Grey had initiated a short revival of the 4×4 format, the company announced the Eye Flex 4×4 auto-exposure TLR, but it remained at prototype level. During the same year 1959 Olympus launched the Pen half-frame camera, designed by Yoshihisa Maitani, the first of a long series. Its compactness and sleek lines were revolutionary at the time, and it could take 72 shots without reloading on a standard 35mm cassette. This time it was Olympus that was setting the trend, and after the Pen many other camera companies began to produce their own half-frame cameras. Olympus was the only one to make a half-frame SLR system, the Pen F, released in 1963. The Pen cameras are still popular today among enthusiasts. 1972 saw the launch of the OM 35mm SLR system. At a time when the clunky Nikon F was still the workhorse of professional photographers, the compact OM system was once again revolutionary. The system incorporated a large line of highly-regarded Zuiko lenses, interchangeable focusing screens, winders and, later, advanced flash units. While never quite challenging Nikon and Canon as the leading choice of professional photographers, Olympus did have a loyal and dedicated following for the OM system, including David Bailey and Lord Lichfield. The OM system has also kept a good reputation among astronomers, macro and micro photographers; this is related to the company's involvement in medical and research equipment. In 1978 Olympus launched its XA line of compact cameras. The XA is probably the smallest true rangefinder camera ever sold and was very popular among photographers as the pocket camera to carry. Unfortunately, during the mid-to-late '80s Olympus seemed to lose its way as autofocus SLRs started to take off. Although the company did eventually release an autofocus SLR system it was not very advanced and was not a serious challenge to Nikon or Canon. It changed its orientation and pioneered the concept of the "bridge" camera (an auto-everything SLR with fixed zoom lens) with the IS series. In the early '90s, Olympus had significant success with the compact, autofocus 'point and shoot' Stylus (or Mju) line. It carried on this success at the turn of the century into the digital field. When the digital market really took off with the launch of reasonably affordable, compact 2.3 megapixel cameras for consumers, there were only two real options for photographers -- the Nikon Coolpix or the Olympus Camedia ranges. Before the availability of affordable (sub-$5k) digital SLRs, Olympus's E series of fixed-lens SLRs, evolved from the earlier analogue bridge cameras, was very popular among serious photographers. The launch of cheaper digital SLRs saw Olympus lose ground again among serious photographers, but recently the E series was developed into an innovative interchangeable-lens SLR system. Without the huge autofocus lens catalogue of Nikon and Canon, Olympus was free to build its E system without concessions to an older 35mm-based system. Olympus is the champion of the 4/3-type full-frame style of SLR rather than the APS-sized sensors Canon and Nikon put into their SLR bodies, which are derived from 35mm film cameras. This allows Olympus to design its bodies and lenses specifically for digital use. The company took its present name of Olympus Corporation (オリンパス株式会社) in 2003, and it continues to innovate and to challenge other manufacturers to do so. Digital Point and Shoot http://static.flickr.com/15/20759010_e8bb06ab4b_t.jpg * Olympus µ 300 (= Olympus Stylus 300 Digital) * Olympus µ 410D (= Olympus Stylus 410 Digital) * Olympus C-120 * Olympus C-2000 Zoom * Olympus C-2020 Zoom * Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom * Olympus C-3000 Zoom * Olympus C-3020 Zoom * Olympus C-300 Zoom * Olympus C-350 Zoom * Olympus C-4000 Zoom * Olympus C-4040 Zoom * Olympus C-480 Zoom * Olympus C-470z * Olympus C-5050 Zoom * Olympus C-5060 Zoom * Olympus C-60 Zoom * Olympus C-7000 Zoom * Olympus C-700 Ultra Zoom * Olympus C-7070 WideZoom * Olympus C-725 Ultra Zoom * Olympus C-730 Ultra Zoom * Olympus C-740 Ultra Zoom * Olympus C-750 Ultra Zoom * Olympus C-8080 WideZoom * Olympus D-340R * Olympus D-380 * Olympus D-400 (Stylus Digital 400) * Olympus D-510 Zoom * Olympus D-590z DSLR * Olympus C-2500 L * Olympus D-600L * Olympus D-620L / C-1400XL * Olympus E-10 * Olympus E-20 * Olympus E-1 * Olympus E-300 (EVOLT E-300) * Olympus E-500 * Olympus E-330 (EVOLT E-330) * Olympus E-400 35mm Full Frame SLR * Olympus FTL http://static.flickr.com/24/44931866_d7b07432e2_t.jpg Olympus OM system, comprising: * Olympus OM-X prototype camera * Olympus M-1 (1972) * Olympus OM-1 (1973-74) * Olympus OM-1MD (1974-79) * Olympus OM-1n (1979-87) * Olympus OM-2 (1975-79) * Olympus OM-2n (1979-84) * Olympus OM-2SP / OM-2S (1984-88) * Olympus OM-3 (1983-86) * Olympus OM-3Ti / OM-3T (1995-2002) * Olympus OM-4 (1983-87) * Olympus OM-4Ti / OM-4T (1987-2002) * Olympus OM-10 (1979-87) * Olympus OM-10 Quartz (1980-87) * Olympus OM-20 / OM-G (1983-87) * Olympus OM-30 / OM-F (1983-87) * Olympus OM-40 / OM-PC (1985-87) * Olympus OM-707 / OM-77 (1986-91) * Olympus OM-101 / OM-88 (1988-91) * Olympus OM2000 (1997-) Fixed Lens http://static.flickr.com/118/283418336_8c5efd4299_t.jpg * Olympus 35 I * Olympus 35 II * Olympus 35 III * Olympus 35 IV * Olympus 35 IVa * Olympus 35 IVb * Olympus 35 Va * Olympus 35 Vb * Olympus 35-S * Olympus 35-K * Olympus 35-S II * Olympus Wide * Olympus Wide II * Olympus Wide-E * Olympus Wide-S * Olympus Auto * Olympus Auto B * Olympus Auto Eye * Olympus Auto Eye II * Olympus S * Olympus SC * Olympus 35 LE * Olympus 35 LC * Olympus 35 SP * Olympus 35 SPn * Olympus 35 UC * Olympus 35 EC * Olympus 35 EC2 * Olympus 35 ECR * Olympus 35 RC * Olympus 35 DC * Olympus 35 ED * Olympus 35 RD * Olympus Trip 35 * Olympus XA (1979-85) * Olympus XA-1 (1982- ) * Olympus XA-2 (1980-86) * Olympus XA-3 (1985- ) * Olympus XA-4 (1985- ) Interchangeable Lens * Olympus Ace * Olympus Ace-E Auto Focus http://static.flickr.com/19/22827039_941d3ed32b_t.jpg * Olympus 35 C-AF * Olympus 35 AF-L * Olympus Trip AF * Olympus Stylus Epic (mju) I & II * Olympus Stylus Epic Deluxe * Olympus AZ-1 * Olympus IZM 300 * Olympus IZM 200 * Olympus Infinity SuperZoom 330 * Olympus IZM 220 Panorama * Olympus OZM 110 * Olympus O-Product 35mm Half Frame Fixed Lens http://static.flickr.com/116/271929946_f69239cb27_t_d.jpg Olympus Pen series of compact cameras, comprising: * original Pen (1959-1960) * Pen S 2.8 and 3.5 (1960-1965) * Pen W (1964-1965) * Pen D (1962-1966) * Pen D2 (1964-1965) * Pen D3 (1965-1969) * Pen EE and Pen EE (EL) (1961-1968) * Pen EE.S and Pen EE.S (EL) (1962-1968) * Pen Rapid EE.S (1965-1966) * Pen Rapid EE.D (1965-1966) * Pen EM (1965-1966) * Pen EE.D (1967-1972) * Pen EE.2 (1968-1977) * Pen EE.S2 (1968-1971) * Pen EE.3 (1973-1983) * Pen EF (1981-) SLR http://static.flickr.com/44/189877831_e6268b803e_t_d.jpg Olympus Pen F series of single lens reflex cameras, comprising: * Pen F * Pen FT * Pen FV 120 film 4.5×6 folders * Semi Olympus * Semi Olympus II 6×6 and 4.5×6 folders * Olympus Six * Olympus Chrome Six I * Olympus Chrome Six II * Olympus Chrome Six IIIA * Olympus Chrome Six IIIB * Olympus Chrome Six IVA or RIA * Olympus Chrome Six IVB or RIB * Olympus Chrome Six VA * Olympus Chrome Six VB * Olympus Chrome Six RIIA * Olympus Chrome Six RIIB TLR * Olympus Flex I * Olympus Flex BI * Olympus Flex BII * Olympus Flex A3.5 * Olympus Flex A2.8 * Olympus Flex A3.5 II 127 film Interchangeable lens rangefinder * Olympus Standard TLR * Olympus Eye Flex A * Olympus Eye Flex B 126 film * Olympus Quickmatic EE S * Olympus Quickmatic EE M * Olympus Quickmatic 600 APS film * Olympus Centurion / Olympus Centurion S (SLR with fixed zoom lens) * Olympus Newpic XB * Olympus Newpic Zoom 600 * Olympus Newpic Zoom 90 * Olympus Newpic Zoom 60 * Olympus Newpic AF 200 * Olympus i Zoom 75 * Olympus i 100AF * Olympus i snap Bibliography * Links * Olympus history pages in Japanese at the Olympus Photo Club website: ** Category index ** Chronological index * History page at Olympus corporate site, and a page in Japanese about the Olympus logos * Olympus on wikipedia.org * Olympus USA * OM SLR FAQ * Olympus hardware resource page - online repair manuals * The inofficial Olympus User Forums - English, German, French, Italian and Spanish * An Overview of the Olympus OM System * http://www.orphancameras.com Listing of a number of Olympus instruction manuals including the Olympus Pen, and a few "point and shoot" models * Olympus Photo Club website, in Japanese * Olympus page at Collection G. Even's site Category: Japanese camera makers Category: Japanese lens makers *